Short Sale Sellers Shouldn't Be Left in the Dark - 07/30/12 02:51 PM
Short Sale Sellers Shouldn't Be Left in the Dark
A few weeks ago I received a call from a gentleman in another state whose home was under contract in a Short Sale.  He was beyond stressed as he unloaded his tale of woe on me.  His agent had taken all the necessary paperwork, allegedly sent it to the bank, and then....nothing.  He hasn't heard from the agent since.  And that was MONTHS ago.  He wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help him figure out what was up with the progress of his sale.
Of course, I … (18 comments)

Don't Forget to Stop Automatic Bill Payments When Selling Your Home - 07/30/12 11:01 AM
Don't Forget to Stop Automatic Bill Payments When Selling Your Home
In the age of automatic bill payments, it's easy to forget to turn them off.  When you sell your home, however, the last thing you want is an automatic payment going to a mortgage that has been paid off, or an HOA account that has been closed.  Yeah, you'll get your money back, but it may take a few weeks....and that's if you are lucky.  Ever sent a payment to a bank for a closed account.  I did once.  On a car loan that had been closed for years.  I … (11 comments)

Two Car Garage Townhouse in Haymarket for $315,000 - 07/28/12 12:54 PM
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Updated Single Family Home in Manassas, VA for $399,000 - 07/28/12 12:52 PM
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Two Car Garage Carriage Home in Bristow, VA for $349,000 - 07/28/12 12:50 PM
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Two Words That Grate My Nerves: I Can't - 07/27/12 04:29 PM
Two Words That Grate My Nerves:  I Can't

There are some things in life that are physically impossible.  When it comes to any suggestion I make to a client, I know better than to suggest the impossible.  I'm not going to suggest you buy more than you can afford.  In fact, I'm not going to suggest that you do ANYTHING you can't afford.   However, from time to time, you may hear an uncomfortable suggestion come from my lips.
 
ME:  Mr. Seller, the Buyer wouldn't have you by the shorts right now if you didn't need a post settlement … (7 comments)

Another Braemar Home in Bristow, VA SOLD! - 07/27/12 12:03 PM
Another Braemar Home in Bristow, VA SOLD!

This Braemar patio home hit the market on June 1, 2012 priced at $299,000.  On June 8th, the Buyer wrote an offer.  The Buyer offered the Sellers a 45 day home of choice contingency and a 30 day rent back.  Since the Sellers needed both of those things, the deal worked out great.
The house sold on July 27th for $300,000, helping to bring up those prices for Braemar patio homes.  The Buyer got $6,789 in closing cost help from the Sellers.  All in all, each side got what they needed to make … (5 comments)

Fear of the Unknown? Hiding Under the Bed Won't Make It Go Away. - 07/24/12 04:08 PM
Fear of the Unknown?  Hiding Under the Bed Won't Make It Go Away.
Last night the Cleland house experienced a bit of drama.  Our oldest male cat, Rudy, seemed to have an eye injury/condition that was worsening by the hour.  His eye had been tearing all day, then producing puss and apparently getting so uncomfortable that he couldn't keep it open by midnight.  So, with the regular vet closed and his dear Real Estate Agent Mom (yours truly) having a full day on the calendar for Tuesday, I decided it was best to take him to the emergency vet and get it … (7 comments)

Doing the Right Thing: If You Are Truly Great it is NOT Optional - 07/23/12 05:30 PM
Doing the Right Thing:  If You Are Truly Great it is NOT Optional
The child sex scandal of Penn State has absolutely turned my stomach.  Alumni, students and fans of the Nittany Lions were outraged when the statue of Joe Paterno was removed from the Penn State Campus.  Why?  This guy was an awesome coach.  No one would argue his skill.  As a human being, he was sorely lacking.  He put his football program above the safety of children after witnessing an incident of child sex abuse by his assistant coach.  
There are no number of football games a person … (9 comments)

Easy Tips to GO GREEN Today - 07/22/12 12:35 PM
Thanks to Erica Ramus in Pottsville, PA for keeping us thinking about ways to reduce waste in the practice of real estate and be green.
Via Erica Ramus - Ramus Realty Group - Pottsville, PA :
Attempt to make your business as paperless as possible. Scan/fax documents to yourself as PDFs so you can upload them to a central file and all parties involved. Don't print multiple copies and send them to people. Upload them to dropbox or google drive and share them. Use Docusign to get electronic signatures.  Start recycling the paper in your office, and plastic/glass at home as well. … (0 comments)

Kingsbrooke Single Family Home Report: June 2012 - 07/22/12 12:27 PM
Kingsbrooke Single Family Home Report:  June 2012
One of the great things about Kingsbrooke is the variety of single family homes available to buyers in the market in Bristow, VA.  They range in size from slightly larger than a townhouse to large single family homes.  With June behind us, let's take a look at the Kingsbrooke single family home market.  We'll compare to last month (May 2012) and last year (June 2011.)

 
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN KINGSBROOKE
4 Listings were Active:  All Regular Sales

There was one less home available for purchase in Kingsbrooke at the … (4 comments)

Kingsbrooke Townhouse Report: June 2012 - 07/22/12 12:26 PM
Kingsbrooke Townhouse Report:  June 2012
Some may consider the weekend we are having to be gloomy with all the cloud cover, but it is giving Kingsbrooke a much needed break from the searing summer temps.  The Kingsbrooke townhouse market is not cooling off.  With June behind us, let's take a look back at the resale activity and see where values are headed.  As always, we'll make our comparisons to last month (May 2012) and last year (June 2011.)
TOWNHOUSES FOR SALE IN KINGSBROOKE
There was 1 Active Listing:  A Short Sale

The inventory in May got gobbled up to the … (1 comments)

What types of hardwood floors are best for dogs? - 07/21/12 07:51 PM
Hardwood floors are popular with home buyers, but not if they appear prematurely aged or beat up.  Debbie Gartner's specialty is flooring, so if you have pets, or just want to install the toughest hardwoods around, she gives some great advice in this post.  Personall, if I ever replace the hardwoods I currently have, I'm going distressed where wear and tear are less obvious.
Via Debbie Gartner - Westchester Flooring -Hardwood Floors Carpet Tile Refinish - (Floor Coverings International Westchester NY & Stamford CT):
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is:
"What types of hardwood flooring are best for … (8 comments)

Victory Lakes Single Family Report: June 2012 - 07/21/12 01:42 PM
Victory Lakes Single Family Report:  June 2012
It may not be the best day to enjoy the Victory Lakes' community pool with the cloud cover and sprinkles,but enjoy the cool temps while you can.  I'm sure the searing summer temps will be back in no time.  With June behind us, let's take a look back at the single family home market in Victory Lakes.  As usual, we'll make comparisons to last report (May 2012) and last year (June 2011.)
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN VICTORY LAKES
4 Listings were Active:  All Regular Sales


What a difference a year makes! … (6 comments)

Victory Lakes Townhouse Report: June 2012 - 07/20/12 02:45 PM
Victory Lakes Townhouse Report:  June 2012
Today I am thankful for some cloud cover and cooler temps in Victory Lakes.  This summer has been quite steamy and we've got more than two months left of "official" summer.  With June behind us, let's take a look back at the Victory Lakes Townhouse market.  We'll make comparisons to last report (May 2012) and last year (June 2011.)
TOWNHOUSES FOR SALE IN VICTORY LAKES
11 Listings were Active:  6 New Construction, 3 Regular Sales, 2 Short Sales


Once again, new construction was dominating the active listings in Victory Lakes townhouses.  The high … (5 comments)

The Best Way to NOT Be the Tenant Victim of Foreclosure/Short Sale - 07/20/12 11:40 AM
The Best Way to NOT Be the Tenant Victim of Foreclosure/Short Sale
In the Bristow-Gainesville rental market, there are a lot of nervous tenants out there.  Nervous because it seems that many landlords who purchased investment properties during the real estate boom are now deciding to let the properties go to foreclosure, or attempting a strategic default with a short sale.  In my own personal experience, I have helped one particular tenant relocate THREE TIMES as a result of this.  There are other tenants I've helped twice.  
The only real way to not be a tenant victim of a foreclosure … (13 comments)

Things Tenants Should Know About the Bristow-Gainesville Rental Market - 07/17/12 05:25 PM
Things Tenants Should Know About the Bristow-Gainesville Rental Market
If you are looking for a rental in Bristow or Gainesville, VA you may be frustrated.  You are probably calling listing agent after listing agent only to find the homes you thought were available have applications or have already been rented.  The Bristow-Gainesville rental market is moving FAST. That's the first thing you should know.  The best way to cope with it is to hire a Real Estate Agent to help you navigate it.  When the market is moving this fast, surfing websites and calling Listing Agents is not getting the leg … (13 comments)

The Myth of Short Sale Sellers Vanishing into the Night - 07/17/12 05:00 PM
The Myth of Short Sale Sellers Vanishing into the Night
Another day, another lesson I find myself giving a Buyer's Agent in the Northern Virginia market on Short Sales.  By now, I would think that all of us in this business understand that a Short Sale is only different from a regular sale in that the Seller's must get bank approval on short payoff of mortgage balances.  That's it.  It's the same type of contingency that a buyer has with their financing.  If the bank doesn't say yes, it's no deal.
So as a buyer, how would you feel if you … (9 comments)

Braemar Townhouse Report: May-June 2012 - 07/16/12 06:02 PM
Braemar Townhouse Report:  May-June 2012
Having seen a lot of activity with my own Braemar townhouse listings recently, I know that this Braemar Townhouse Report is going to be one with good news.  When reporting sales activity for Braemar townhouses we'll divide sales into two categories:  Townhouses with No Garage and Garage Townhouses.  
To start, Townhouses with No Garage saw eight sales in the last two months.  The highest sales price was $260,000.  The lowest sales price was $210,000.  The average of all eight sales gives us our new average market value for Townhouses with No Garage of $228,357.  That's … (6 comments)

Seterus May Have Just Become the WORST Short Sale Bank EVER - 07/16/12 11:36 AM
Seterus May Have Just Become the WORST Short Sale Bank EVER
Last year I worked a Seterus Short Sale and had nothing bad to say about them.  They were fast and professional.  This second go round with them has me envisioning a wheel of profanity where I could spin it and could use any word or phrase it landed on to fit how I feel about Seterus.  Here's the situation:
My Seller's property hit the market in early April 2012.  Days later we had a contract and it wasn't a week before the package was in to the first trust, Seterus, … (7 comments)

Decompressing After a Tough Week and My Dinner with Emeril Lagasse - 07/15/12 05:31 PM
Decompressing After a Tough Week and My Dinner with Emeril Lagasse
This week was super stressful.  Work was busy enough to make a sane agent crazy, but then things started to break in my house.  Probably because of the strong storm two weeks ago.  Two air compressors died and so did my washing machine.  Thankfully, I have a wonderful husband who did the grocery shopping for me this week and took me to dinner multiple times.
Last night, we went to Texas de Brazil, which we lovingly refer to as the meat spigot.  It's the kind of steakhouse with a buffet … (12 comments)

3 Bedroom Springfield Condo for $199,000 - 07/15/12 04:45 PM
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Braemar Property Values: May-June 2012 (Heritage Series) - 07/15/12 04:24 PM
Braemar Property Values:  May-June 2012 (Heritage Series)
It seems that I have shown more Yardley model homes in Braemar, than any other style since the beginning of 2012.  There is no doubt that the Heritage Series homes in Braemar are among the best sellers, and the Yardley was the most popular model chosen by the builders.  (Heritage Series homes are mid-sized single family homes with two car attached garages including the following floor plans:  Exeter, Yardley, Zachery & Waverly.)  With May and June behind us, let's take a look at what happened to sales in the Heritage Series.
There were three … (0 comments)

My Buyer Wants to Know Why This House is Priced So High - 07/15/12 03:58 PM
My Buyer Wants to Know Why This House is Priced So High
Having listings is a blessing.  In real estate, listings make the phone ring.  The calls we Listing Agents love are the ones from Buyer's Agents who are about to send us offers, or from buyers who don't have agents and may need our help finding a home.  Unfortunately, those aren't the only calls we get.  Oh I wish they were.  That would be too perfect.
Here's a call I got Friday, and it's typical of calls like it.  
Caller:  Hi.  This is Fred Fredrickson of ABC Realty.  I … (8 comments)

Braemar Property Values: May-June 2012 (Courtyard Series) - 07/15/12 03:32 PM
Braemar Property Values:  May-June 2012 (Courtyard Series)
Summer is a great time to be able to call Braemar home.  With access to two outdoor pools, multiple tennis and basketball courts and walking trails, there is always something to do.  And those pools do help Braemar residents beat the heat.  
With May and June behind us, we can take a look back at sales activity for Braemar Courtyard homes.  If you don't know what a Braemar Courtyard home is, here's a quick explanation:
A Braemar Courtyard home is a one of three different models that share a private courtyard driveway and … (2 comments)

Braemar Property Values: May-June 2012 (Carriage Series) - 07/12/12 06:23 PM
Braemar Property Values:  May-June 2012 (Carriage Series)
No matter what the season, the carriage homes in Braemar always seem to catch my eye.  Especially the ones with the covered front porches.  And they clearly catch the eyes of Bristow buyers because there has only been one two month period since the middle of 2005 when I started this report when no carriage homes sold.  
A Braemar Carriage home is characterized by the lack of attached garage, but rather a detached garage.  Not all Carriage homes opted for the garage, so some have a paved parking pad in the rear of … (4 comments)

Open House in Haymarket, Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 12p-3p - 07/12/12 01:55 PM
Open House in Haymarket, Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 12p-3p
This fabulous two car garage townhouse in Haymarket will be open on Saturday from 12pm-3pm.  It's current list price is $315,000.  Address is 15806 Mackenzie Manor Drive, Haymarket, VA 20169.
Enjoy three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms with upgraded flooring throughout.  Main level floor plan has a kitchen with granite counters and cherry cabinets that opens to the family room and a breakfast nook.  There is also a formal dining room and study behind glass French doors.  

Lugging a laundry basket up and down stairs will be a … (5 comments)

Just Listed in Braemar: 4 Bedroom/3.5 Bath Carriage Home for $349,000 - 07/09/12 03:59 PM
… (12 comments)

Braemar Property Values: May-June 2012 (Arista Series) - 07/09/12 02:26 PM
Braemar Property Values:  May-June 2012 (Arista Series)
In one day we swung nearly thirty degrees here in Braemar.  Yesterday it felt like 104 degrees.  Then, after a pretty big line of thunderstorms rolled through, we were down to 79.  It's amazing to see that swing in a matter of hours.  You may feel the same way after reading this Braemar Property Value Report for homes in the Arista Series.  There is a big increase to report this period.  As we look at the resale activity for these homes, we'll make comparisons to last report (March-April 2012) and last year (May-June 2011.)  
FYI:  Arista Series … (0 comments)

Here's a Little FREE Advice on Offering Free Services - 07/08/12 10:37 AM
Here's a Little FREE Advice on Offering Free Services
At least once a day I read or hear something that talks about giving away something.  You've seen the late night commercials.  "Call now and get a second one for free!"  Or you can picture a real estate ad that would say, "Buy or sell with me and use this truck for free."
My beef is not with anyone giving away additional items or services.  Nope.  It's the grammatical incorrectness with which they do it.  Every time I hear it or read it, the voice of a radio talk show host that … (19 comments)

All I Wanted Was an Ice Cream Sundae? Is That So Hard? - 07/06/12 04:11 PM
All I Wanted Was an Ice Cream Sundae?  Is That So Hard?
It was near one-hundred degrees in Northern Virginia today, but felt much worse with the heat index.  Can't tell you what exactly.  I'm pretty sure my brain melted at the door step of my 10:30am appointment in Bristow.  Even my car was little comfort with the A/C blasting over me.  So after a long morning/early afternoon in the car I made a melted brain decision.  ICE CREAM FOR LUNCH.  It's not every day that I get to pass a Friendly ice cream parlor in my travels.  Seems to me … (18 comments)

A Northern Virginia Short Sale First! - 07/06/12 01:11 PM
A Northern Virginia Short Sale First!
It's not often that something new happens in the world of this Northern Virginia Short Sale Agent.  Today was a rare, probably once in a lifetime event, of hand delivering a Short Sale contract package to a local bank.  The loan is a second trust with a government employees credit union.  The loan number isn't some nine digit account number that I have zero chance of remembering.  It's three digits,  the first one being zero, the second being one.  
I was so excited.  I had all the documents indexed and in a three ring … (11 comments)

Braemar Condo Quarterly: April 2012-June 2012 - 07/05/12 04:21 PM
Braemar Condo Quarterly:  April 2012-June 2012
We are more than halfway through the year.  Time for another look at resales of condos in Braemar.  Unfortunately, just like the first quarter of the year, the second quarter is showing absolutely no closed sales of Braemar condos either.


There has been some activity, but nothing that has made it to the settlement table.  Near the end of last October, a one car garage condo went under contract while listed at $195,900.  It was a Short Sale. As a Short Sale Agent myself, I can tell you that the fact that this … (0 comments)

Why Worry About Cleaning When You Can Buy Carpets That Won't Show Dirt - 07/05/12 01:11 PM
Why Worry About Cleaning When You Can Buy Carpets That Won't Show Dirt?
Something is happening to me the older I get.  I am sounding more and more like my mother every day that goes by.  That is not necessarily a good thing for those that don't appreciate...oh...how shall I say it... BLUNT.  
I found myself in a lovely home with buyers not too long ago.  The home fit what they were looking for to a T.  And it was so well maintained.  There were barely off-white carpets that were practically gleaming.  The comment from them both was something to … (7 comments)

Is A Seller in Northern Virginia Obligated to Correct HOA Violations? - 07/04/12 12:14 PM
Is A Seller in Northern Virginia Obligated to Correct HOA Violations?
Let's say you are buying a property in Northern Virginia.  Your contract states that you are buying the property in AS-IS condition.  Whether you have chosen the date of the contract, the date of the home inspection or some other point in time, you are buying the home AS-IS as of SOME POINT in time.  AS-IS is a regular condition of all real estate sales contracts in Northern Virginia these days.  
You have negotiated repairs with the Seller after having your home inspection.  Yes, you can still do this … (6 comments)

Just Listed in Springfield: 3 Bedroom Cardinal Forest Condo for $199K - 07/03/12 05:40 PM
… (9 comments)

How Many Layers of Security Does a Seller Need When Listing to Sell? - 07/01/12 12:15 PM
How Many Layers of Security Does a Seller Need When Listing to Sell?
I have to give credit to Gary Waters post on paranoid sellers for inspiring this rant of my own.  Allow me to set the scene.  I have a family of three house hunting.  Dad, Mom (8 1/2 months pregnant) and their three year old son out house hunting one incredibly hot and sticky June day.  They are in their home of choice contingency period since their own home is under contract to a buyer, and need to find a home within a specified time period.
For the sake … (17 comments)

 
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Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker, Northern VA

Bristow, VA

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Long & Foster REALTORS®, Gainesville, VA

Address: 7526 Limestone Drive, Gainesville, VA, 20155

Office Phone: (703) 402-0037

Cell Phone: (703) 402-0037

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